GT40Graham Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 (edited) Hi All, I know that this might sound a bit sacrilegious to some of you but I've never "got" the Fender Precision. I'm a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to basses, I like the "old school" basses, some of the modern pointy things just don't hit the mark. The closest I ever came to a "pointy bass" was the original Aria SB1000 (s/n 000184) but I didn't keep it for long. This should mean that the good old Fender Precision would be just right for me but I've tried a few of them over the years and found them to be dull and boring, I like 2 pickups. Last week, I was browsing the Basschat Marketplace and saw a MIJ Fender Precision Fotoflame which was being offered for sale by Shonks. I really did like the look of this bass so I bought it and it landed with me on Tuesday of this week. Very nice bass, raised the action a touch - perfect. Gigged it Friday night and last night. Well, what can I say? It might be a one sound bass (OK, I know what the tone control does), but that sound just fit in perfectly. I'm currently gigging with a glam rock band (the photo might have given that away) and the Precision cut through the mix with a very satifying tone. There was a bit of a "honk" to the sound, it was great, even though I was using my amps and pedals that were set up for my Rickenbacker 4001. Am I going to ditch my Rickenbackers and Fender Jazzes? No, not a prayer but Leo Fender definitely got it right. I finally understand what I've been reading about Precision basses for the last 30 odd years! Maybe now I should try some more pointy basses although I need another bass like I need a hole in the head - apart from a nice fretless that is! Regards, Edited August 21, 2011 by GT40Graham Quote
Conan Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 [quote name='GT40Graham' post='1347168' date='Aug 21 2011, 02:37 PM']Hi All, I know that this might sound a bit sacrilegious to some of you but I've never "got" the Fender Precision. I'm a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to basses...[/quote] A slight contradiction perhaps? Know what you mean though. I've played bass for 30 years and only got my first P (well, Squier version) this year! I love it! Quote
bh2 Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 Heh... took me thirty years to finally bag one... super, at last! Quote
philwood Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 Me aswell, I never 'got' it either until recently so I'm a recent convert too! Quote
GT40Graham Posted August 21, 2011 Author Posted August 21, 2011 [quote name='Conan' post='1347194' date='Aug 21 2011, 03:07 PM']A slight contradiction perhaps? Know what you mean though. I've played bass for 30 years and only got my first P (well, Squier version) this year! I love it![/quote] Yes, hence this sentence: "This should mean that the good old Fender Precision would be just right for me but I've tried a few of them over the years and found them to be dull and boring" Regards, Quote
joe_bass Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 Same, acquired a P bass through a trade a couple of months ago as fancied a change. You just can't mimic that sound easily. I had to sell it though. Quote
Lozz196 Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 The Precision is just so good at what it does. Trick I`ve noticed with the Precision is to not increase the lows too much. Dial in a clanky, mid-rich tone, and it just sits in the mix so well. Quote
Grand Wazoo Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 Love 'em, there will always be 1 (or 3 as in my case) in my collection. There's just something about the voice of a P bass that no fancy circuitry or multiple pickup basses can come even close because when you look at it, ANY bass with more than one pickup will always have one or more of their settings emulating or trying to emulate a P tone. word. Quote
lojo Posted August 22, 2011 Posted August 22, 2011 For what I do, a P with flats and a P with rounds and Im sorted Quote
jcater Posted August 22, 2011 Posted August 22, 2011 Bought my first serious bass back in 1976. Went to Denmark street and paid £300 for a brand new USA Precission. Over the years have aquired many other basses - Stingray, Jazz, Custom made GB rumour etc. But if i had to save one it would be the precission. It may have limited tone options but the sound is just so good i'm not sure that anything else can beat it. Recording all weekend and just used the Precission with Thomastil Infield flat strings going through a sansamp. The engineer seemed to be so happy with this - the one and only classic bass sound! If you have never owned one then it's time you tried one out. Quote
Kaasa Posted August 22, 2011 Posted August 22, 2011 I went under for the pressure and bought me Road Worn Precision, I'll get it from the U.S and A next monday! Can't wait to have P-bass with flatwounds! Quote
Stag Posted August 22, 2011 Posted August 22, 2011 I have an '09 MIA Precision which is great 'n everything, but I feel far more at home with my Rick... probably due to the neck. Been thinking about trying to arrange a trade for my P... get a Jazz maybe... probably more my kind of dimensions Quote
Spike Vincent Posted August 23, 2011 Posted August 23, 2011 Every bassist should have a Precision.It's the rules. Quote
Schnozzalee Posted August 23, 2011 Posted August 23, 2011 I converted after 6 years but I still have a lot of love for an EB3 or fretless jazz - I can't get on with rickenbackers because of small hands. Quote
jcater Posted August 23, 2011 Posted August 23, 2011 For anyone thats interested - my 1976 precession recorded over a couple of weekends at the Granary Studio Lamberhurst Kent www.myspace.com/569720257 I have pretty much retired this bass from live performance - but still use it for all recordings Jeff Quote
dc2009 Posted August 23, 2011 Posted August 23, 2011 [quote name='Spike Vincent' post='1348627' date='Aug 23 2011, 02:04 AM']Every bassist should have a Precision.It's the rules.[/quote] What about if they hate the neck shape, like me? That fotoflame P was gorgeous, I was drooling over that one for a while, congrats! However, as much as I've loved the sound, I've always hated the neck, to be honest, I love the sound of my P pickup on my non-Reverse TB 5 - it is a solid, meaty sound and it doesn't have a neck from hell. Quote
GarethFlatlands Posted August 23, 2011 Posted August 23, 2011 Apart from a blast on Finbars Shuker P, I've never played one that wasn't an Encore. Sorry state of affairs I know. I always hear the bass sound on the 1st Glassjaw album as the essential P bass tone. Maybe if I sell some stuff I'll get a decent 2nd hand one as it seems to be the law to own one. Quote
gjones Posted August 23, 2011 Posted August 23, 2011 I swopped a Musicman SUB for a beat up 1990's MIJ 57 reissue Precision. The guy I swopped it with probably thought he got the better side of the deal but i really love it. It has quite a shallow neck which is very easy to play and sounds great. I have another SUB and a Jazz but the Precision is my bass of choice. Quote
Spike Vincent Posted August 24, 2011 Posted August 24, 2011 [quote name='dc2009' post='1348763' date='Aug 23 2011, 10:20 AM']What about if they hate the neck shape, like me? That fotoflame P was gorgeous, I was drooling over that one for a while, congrats! However, as much as I've loved the sound, I've always hated the neck, to be honest, I love the sound of my P pickup on my non-Reverse TB 5 - it is a solid, meaty sound and it doesn't have a neck from hell.[/quote] A.Learn to live with it. B.Get one with a Jazz profile neck. Quote
dc2009 Posted August 24, 2011 Posted August 24, 2011 [quote name='Spike Vincent' post='1350833' date='Aug 24 2011, 10:15 PM']A.Learn to live with it. B.Get one with a Jazz profile neck.[/quote] A. Why should I bother when I have a bunch of basses I like the neck profiles on? B. Why not then get a jazz aerodyne or something, which has the better looking jazz body too? Quote
bremen Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 [quote name='gjones' post='1349314' date='Aug 23 2011, 07:04 PM']I swopped a Musicman SUB for a beat up 1990's MIJ 57 reissue Precision. The guy I swopped it with probably thought he got the better side of the deal but i really love it. It has quite a shallow neck which is very easy to play and sounds great. I have another SUB and a Jazz but the Precision is my bass of choice.[/quote] While we're here. I got a CIJ Precision neck from Cetera a few years ago and it suits me better than any neck I've tried. Wide and shallow. I have this on a P body with flats and it's just as many here have said, the bass you'd save from a fire. Now I want another P to put rounds on. Is the CIJ neck a different shape from current Mexican P? If so, does anyone have one they'd part with? Quote
Dave Vader Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 [quote name='dc2009' post='1350905' date='Aug 25 2011, 12:01 AM']A. Why should I bother when I have a bunch of basses I like the neck profiles on? B. Why not then get a jazz aerodyne or something, which has the better looking jazz body too?[/quote] Because it isn't a P. In all seriousness, I have played a few 70s Ps with the "a" profile neck, like a Jazz, and they are very nice indeed. Quote
Spike Vincent Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 [quote name='dc2009' post='1350905' date='Aug 25 2011, 12:01 AM']A. Why should I bother when I have a bunch of basses I like the neck profiles on? B. Why not then get a jazz aerodyne or something, which has the better looking jazz body too?[/quote] Possibly you're not a fan of the Precision? Quote
4000 Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 [quote name='Schnozzalee' post='1348632' date='Aug 23 2011, 02:38 AM']I can't get on with rickenbackers because of small hands.[/quote] Strange, as they have typically have narrow necks and have a shorter scale length than Fenders. Quote
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